Current Site Status

The Callaway & Son Drum Service (CSDS) site is the former location of a 55-gallon drum refurbishing and resale facility, which operated from mid-1977 through early 1991. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2000 because of contaminated ground water, soil and surface water resulting from facility operations. EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) have investigated site conditions and taken steps to clean up the site in order to protect people and the environment from contamination. Site contamination does not currently threaten people living and working near the site. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2009 after completing the site’s cleanup. By undertaking a planned Five-Year Review, EPA and FDEP continue to protect people and the environment from site contamination.

Site Location and Background

The 9.5-acre site is located at 890 East Lake Alfred Drive in Lake Alfred, Polk County, Florida. The site is located along U.S. Highway 17-92, approximately one mile northeast of Lake Alfred. Areas surrounding the site include active residential and light industrial land uses. A sewage treatment plant is located west of the site. A single-story apartment complex is located east of the site.

The site includes three major structures, which are now in dilapidated condition: a former office building, a drum cleaning structure and a sandblasting and painting structure. A 45,300-square-foot percolation pond was located east of the drum cleaning area and received rinse water from drum cleaning operations.

CSDS was a family-owned business that operated from mid-1977 through early 1991 as a refurbisher and reseller of used 55-gallon oil and citrus drums. Operations ceased in February 1991, when the facility came to FDEP’s attention after the company submitted an application to build and operate an industrial wastewater treatment and disposal system for the discharge of rinse water used in its drum cleaning process.

The site is currently vacant and not in use. The site property could support industrial, commercial or residential uses in the future. In 2000, EPA listed the site on the NPL. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2009, following completion of the site’s cleanup.

Upon further investigation, EPA did not confirm the presence of previously identified ground water contaminants. The Southwest Florida Water Management District listed the site and nearby surrounding area as a ground water delineation area, which means all wells placed in the area require the District’s approval. Area residences connect to the public water supply and the delineation area acts as an institutional control to prevent residents from coming into contact with contaminated ground water.

Investigation and Cleanup Responsibility / Oversight

Site Cleanup Plan

In December 2001, EPA initiated short-term cleanup actions to clean up contaminated drums.

In 2003, EPA finalized the site’s remedial investigation (RI), which included an ecological risk assessment. EPA found several contaminants, primarily near the former drum cleaning area.

At the request of FDEP, EPA re-sampled the former drum cleaning area to better identify these contaminants and determine any potential risk associated with them. EPA analyzed the samples using high-resolution mass spectrometry at EPA’s Office of Research and Development in Las Vegas, Nevada. This office provides information on the toxicity of compounds not routinely found at sites. EPA completed research on the potential toxicity of the identified contaminants in late 2005 and identified approximately 60 compounds present in the soil samples.

In early 2006, EPA procured non-target laboratory standards for re-analysis of the site’s soil. The results indicated that, although standards were available for a limited number of the suspected contaminants, those measured appeared to be below levels of concern. At the request of FDEP, EPA completed a similar exercise with the site’s ground water during summer 2007.

With concurrence of FDEP, EPA issued a No Further Action Record of Decision (ROD) for the site in September 2007. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2009.

Cleanup Progress

EPA has taken several cleanup actions at the site. In December 2001, EPA removed and disposed of approximately 2,500 empty and partially empty drums. The majority of the drums were empty. EPA recovered the trunks from the banks of the site’s percolation pond, which is a man-made pond that allows wastewater to gradually enter the ground. In addition, many tires were present at the site. Polk County worked with EPA to remove the tires.

In the site’s 2007 ROD, EPA determined that previous drum cleanup actions eliminated any threats posed by the site. Moreover, EPA determined that no materials left on site constituted principal threats to human health or the environment.

EPA does not expect any need for additional cleanup at the site. However, EPA will conduct a Five-Year Review in 2014 to verify the validity of the Agency’s 2009 decision to delete the site from the NPL.

Enforcement Activities

Community Involvement

EPA worked with the community and its state partner to develop a long-term cleanup plan for the site, reflecting the Agency’s commitment to safe, healthy communities and environmental protection. Community engagement and public outreach are core components of EPA program activities.

EPA conducted a range of community involvement activities to solicit community input and to make sure the public remains informed about site activities throughout the cleanup process. Outreach efforts have included public notices and information meetings on cleanup progress and activities.